Nebraska2026Did Not Pass
LB1050
Nebraska Reading Improvement Act Changes
Last scannedAug 25, 2026, 3:18 AM
In one sentence
This bill requires schools to test students in kindergarten through third grade on their reading skills and sets rules for keeping some third graders who cannot read at the expected level back in their grade.
What it does
- Requires school boards to create policies that help with reading instruction, including support for dyslexia.
- Mandates three approved reading tests each year for students from kindergarten through third grade, unless they are exempt.
- Sets a rule that schools must keep most third graders in their grade if they have not reached the required reading level by the end of the school year starting in 2027-28.
- Requires the State Department of Education to list which reading tests are allowed and set score levels for passing.
- Allows students to show they can read at grade level through a test-based student portfolio option established on or before January 1, 2027.
Who it affects
- Students in kindergarten, first, second, and third grades
- Public school districts and their boards
- Teachers of students from kindergarten to third grade
- The State Department of Education
Limits and unknowns
- The bill does not apply to students with special education plans, certain English learners who have received instruction for less than two years, or those receiving services under Section 504 or Title II of the ADA if testing conflicts with their plan.
- Students exempt from retention include those previously retained in K-3 and participating in intervention programs for at least two school years, or students retained a cumulative total of two times.
- No student can be kept in third grade more than one time under this law.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Reading deficiency
- A student who scores below the required level on an approved reading test.
- Persistent reading deficiency
- A third-grade student identified as having a reading problem at the end of their year unless they pass specific tests or portfolios.
- Retention
- Keeping a student in the same grade for another school year instead of moving them up to the next grade.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
Provide requirements for dyslexia screening and limit advancement to grade four under the Nebraska Reading Improvement Act
Official activity
Bill history
- Indefinitely postponed